There is a little-known benefit provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs -- that being a clothing allowance. This is to cover veterans' costs for treatment items that cause premature wear on their clothing. You might be entitled to this if you wear a prosthetic device, brace or use a cream that discolors your clothing. If approved, this is an annual stipend of $719.

I say little-known benefit because I only found out about it when reading my disability award letter. None of the staff at the VA, service officers or vets' publications mention this. It's sad to admit, but I worked for the VA from 2007 to 2008 and wasn't aware of the clothing allowance. In my opinion, this is another case of the VA trying to pinch pennies!

This isn't an automatic award/stipend, even if you have a service-related disability. To begin with, you need VA form 2008 10-8678, which is available online. Fill this out and submit it to your local VA prosthetics department. The staff will review your case and make a determination whether to pay you or not.

More downsides to the clothing allowance:

First, it isn't retroactive. I filed my disability case in July 2008 and was approved in September 2010. My award of compensation was paid from my filing date in a lump sum and a monthly check thereafter. Not so with the clothing allowance. I missed the cutoff date of Aug. 31 for fiscal year 2010, so my application will be considered for fiscal year 2011 this fall. Even if approved, my allowance will only cover FY 2011, not from my original July 2008 filing date. Secondly, approval isn't automatic; you must apply every year.

This is not fair. The clothing allowance is an augmentation to the disability allowance. In my opinion, it should be determined at the disability hearing. If an individual's condition warrants a clothing allowance, it should be permanent and not subject to the individual whims of the staff at local VA hospitals. I urge everyone to call and/or write their lawmakers to get this changed.

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